Puzzle-purse.



FFIQE.

THOMAS P. REID, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

PUZZLE-PURSE Application filed February 28, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known thatI, TrioMAs P. REID, citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzle-Purses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in puzzle purses.

The object of my invention is to provide a purse having the feature of a puzzle as well as an article for the safe keeping of money and other articles of value of small size.

My invention consists in a purse having a body portion forming containers with a plurality of connected strips and fiaps of flexible material, and loops or rings of flexible or other material, by the movement of which strips through said loops or rings by motions of the hands the purse is o ened or closed at the will of the holder, and said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, described in the following specification and particularly claimed in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1: is a perspective view of my purse, and Fig. 2: is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3: is a detail showing one of the outside sheets of flexible material of which the purse is composed. Fig. 4 is a detail of the inner sheet that divides the container. Fig. 5: is a detail of one of the sheets that form the flaps.

Referring to the figures: A represents the said purse.

2 shows the outer casings and the strips of the flexible material are indicated by the numeral 3.

4 represents the partition that divides the container and 5 shows one of the two pockets that form the said container.

Two outer fiaps 6 are sewed to and extend above the container.

7 represents one of the tongues that are sewed to the container, and 8 indicates one of the plurality of loops through which the strips 3 may be drawn and which also form part of the stitching by which the fiaps as shown are connected to the container. 9 shows the stitching binding the container. The strips 3 form on each side of the purse a continuation of the casing 2. The partition 4 that divides the container centrally and lies between the two sheets 2 that form the body of the same, is joined to said sheets by the said stitching 9. By said partition two pockets are formed, one of which may be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Serial No. 359,861.

used for coin and the other for currency or one of the same may be used for holding gold coin and the other for silver coin.

I11 Fig. 1 the purse is shown as closed and in Fig. 2 as open. To open one of the pockets of the purse as shown in Fig. 1, the tongue 7 is grasped between fingers of the left hand and the outer flap 6 on the same side as said tongue, is gras ed between fingers of the right hand, and y thereupon pulling in opposite directions the pocket is opened, the strips 3 being drawn down through the loops shown at 8, and admission to the pocket, being obtained by inserting the fingers between the strips 3. To close the purse the retainer is grasped near its base with fingers of the right hand and the connected strips which have been drawn down in the opening of the purse are seized with fingers of the left hand at the apex of such strips, and upon pulling the parts in opposite directions the strips are restored to their normal position.

Upon inspecting the purse as closed a person not familiar with the method of opening and closing it, will not observe any apparent mode of opening it, the stitching leading him to believe that the parts are firmly sewed together and it will be only by considerable inspection and manipulation that the ma j ority of persons desiring to open it will succeed in accomplishing their object if they persevere in the attempt, and it is this feature of the purse, viz; the fact that the parts are apparently firmly sewed together that constitutes it a puzzle, as well as an article for the safe-keeping of money or other small articles of value.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred embodiment of my said invention, but I do not limit myself to same, but reserve the right to make such changes as fall within the spirit and scope of said invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A purse comprising a central sheet or partition and two outer sheets of material connected so as to form a pair of pockets, the outer sheets of said pockets having extensions, said extensions having a plurality of longitudinal strips, and loops of material connected to the central sheet and encompassing said strips of material in such manner as to permit movement of the strips, and flaps of material also secured to the central sheet so as to cover said extensions when said pockets are closed.

2. A purse comprising two outer sheets of material connected together so as to form a container, and a central sheet secured between said outer sheets, said two outer sheets having extensions, and said extensions having a plurality of longitudinal strips, and

loops of material connected to the central sheet and encompassing said strips of material in such manner as to permit movement of the strips, and flaps also secured to said central sheet so as to cover said extension when said container is closed.

Init movement of the strips within the loops, flaps also secured to said dividing sheet so as to cover said extension when the pockets are closed, and a tab secured to one of said outer sheets.

4. A purse comprising two outer flexible sheets, a central dividing sheet secured to the outer sheets to form a pair of pockets, extensions secured to said outer sheets provided with longitudinally-extending strips, loops secured to the central dividing sheet and encompassing said strips in such manner as to permit movement of the extensions, flaps secured to the central dividing sheet and covering the extensions when the pockets are closed, and a tab carried by each outer sheet.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS P. REID.

Witnesses E. P. SONNTAG, CHAS. SONNTAG. 

